Hollow Crown
by LuminescentAura
Summary: Shae Riveria is a normal college student, or at least that's what she thinks. On the eve of her 19th birthday, her world changes. Running into a man, far too good looking to be natural, triggers memories she shouldn't be able to remember. It also brings power she never knew she had. She is one of the last of a long thought mythical race and her people needs her more than ever.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my debut on this site. I've been brewing this story for quite some time. I hope you all enjoy it. Reviews are always welcome.**

**Prologue**

"You must run!"

Flames licked the castle walls while fearful screams echoed in the dead of night. A once peaceful kingdom was now under attack from a race of creatures that were just as mindless as they were vicious, the undead. Once thought to be a myth were now a reality and closing in from all sides. Queen Olenna held a crying baby close to her chest as she instructed her people to run through the forest surrounding the castle walls.

"My Queen, what about the King?" A man asked.

"He stays with the army to fight. We must save who we can to ensure our people survive.

The sound of howling surrounded them, revealing hell hounds at every exit point. Their mangled black fur and glowing red eyes were a sure indication of what they were dealing with. The underworld was unveiling itself to the living world. The Queen clenched a little tighter on the child in her arms.

Two guards stood before and two stood behind her. "Abigail!" Queen Olenna shouted in desperation. A woman quickly came to her queen's side. She had long ebony colored hair and hazel colored eyes. Her ears had a subtle point to them, for she was of Fae blood.

"Yes, my Queen?"

"Take the princess and run as far from here as you can. Protect her. She must never fall into the underworld's grasp, do you understand?"

"But...my Queen...what about you?"

The Queen stood with ethereal beauty like no other. Her long chestnut brown hair was braided while her luminescent blue eyes held a glow of power none could ever imagine. She was about do what she could to save her daughter's life.

Looking down at the infant in her arms, she smiled brightly as tears rolled down her cheeks. "I'll always love you, little one. One day we will be reunited again." Her lips pressed against the small forehead before being passed off to Abigail.

With a wave of her arms, a rift was created. A portal to another world emerged before them. Abigail looked back at her queen one last time before running through it to the unknown that lay beyond the fabric of the veil. The rift closed just as quickly and they were alone inside the passageway towards the new world.

"Here we go, little one. It's time find a safe place for you."

The fear of the unknown was overwhelming and all she could think about was the Queen fighting alone against a large army of underworld creatures hell bent on ridding the world of the last Earthly Fae. Years ago, there had been a prophecy that one day a child with the power to control all Earth energies, which included the four elements. The child was meant to rule the earthly realm and keep the barrier to the underworld forever bound.

It seemed that every time a child was born, the underworld would scour and kill the child before growing up to an adult. Queen Olenna was not taking any chances on her own daughter. The war would end once the creatures of the underworld realized that she was no longer there; but it wouldn't keep the Princess safe forever and Abigail knew it.

Stepping out of the passageway, the world before them was nothing like home. It was dark, yet light at the same time. Tall buildings surrounded them, with items that were extremely foreign to her. She began to wonder why her queen had chosen this place to run to, though it really didn't matter as long as they were safe.

**18 Years Later….**

"You walk out that door, Shae, you will be dead to me!" A woman's voice shouted, echoing inside the mind of the person she aimed the hurtful words at.

Shae, turned back around to see her mother standing with an emotionless expression on her face. Her dark brown hair layered with teal swung around to cover over her chest. The pain in her luminescent blue eyes etched with glassy tears brought a whole new meaning to the word alone.

This hadn't been anything knew. Her mother was never really a mother to her, in fact she never actually had given birth to her at all. She was adopted and thankfully so. Shae never felt like she belonged there and when she got accepted into a college across the country, she had her way out.

"I'm not going to sacrifice my dreams just for the sake of you keeping me imprisoned here!"

Without another word, Shae opened the front door and slammed it shut behind her. Angry tears rolled down her cheeks as she pulled open the driver's side door of her car, the only thing she really could call hers. Starting the ignition was a welcoming sound. It was the start of her future moving forward.

Looking up at the rear-view mirror, she could see all her belongings in the backseat and with a small smile, she continued on her way to the start of her new life away from the chaos she had always known for as long as she could remember.

"Everything will be okay." She told herself.

**Chapter 1:**

**Authentic Reaction**

**One year Later….**

"Shae!, Wait up!"

Stopping in the middle of the pathway, she let out an amused sigh, Shae finally turned around to see her best friend approach her in a odd sprint. The bounce of her ebony curls against her back, flowing in every which direction before finally settling across her shoulders.

It was a weird feeling for her to have someone considered a friend in her life; but honestly, Shae had no idea what she'd do without Abby Farah looking out for her. "What are you doing? Don't you have a class to be at right now?" She asked placing a hand on her hip nonchalantly.

"Uh...not today. It's Wednesday. American Literature is on Monday's and Friday's." Abby answered with a humored grin across her full pink lips.

"Ah, right. I forgot. So you ran across campus just to find me on my break?"

"Not exactly...I came because this came for you in the mail. It looked important."

Abby handed a sealed envelope across towards Shae's confused stare. The white envelope only had her name on it with no return address so she had no idea who the sender was before opening the item. Sliding her finger across the top to tear the paper open, she pulled the letter out then unfolded at the creases.

"_Dearest Shae,_

_They are coming…."_

Those three words sent chills down her spine without any other reason than a sudden fear. Behind the letter was a small postcard with an address. There was no signature, not a single inkling of who sent the letter. It didn't feel like a prank, although she knew how it would look to other people.

Shae quickly folded the paper back up and stuck it inside the cover of her textbook. "Was it important?" Abby asked curiously.

"Another letter about my student loans." She lied.

If there was one thing she could do in that moment, that was keeping Abby from knowing anything about the letter. Whether is was a prank or not wasn't relevant, she didn't need her freaking out if there was no reason to. They wordlessly started walking down the pathway to the other side of the campus.

Walking up the steps to the chapel style building, Shae's body collided with another. The force of the collision knocked everything she had been holding in her arms onto the ground, scattering across the steps. Quickly kneeling down to gather up her things, her eyes met those of someone she had never met before. His face was beautiful, flawless like he had been chiseled right from one the statues she had learned about in her World History class. He had short medium brown hair that was slightly shorter on the sides versus the top. A thin layer of dark facial hair clung to his face that looked a little rough to the touch.

"My apologies." He said in a thick Irish Accent.

"No worries." Shae answered, hoping her voice remained unfaltered.

Standing back up, he handed her the things he had picked up from the stairs. His clothing was that of something a professor would wear, though she had never seen him around before. The moment she reached for her belongings, his hand brushed against hers. The simple touch sent her mind reeling inside itself, or at least that's how it felt to her.

Flashes of things that were completely foreign to her appeared behind her eyes. It felt like she was watching a quick choppy movie. As quick as it began it ended just as quickly. The man before her remained unphased like he had seen nothing. "Are you alright?" He asked softly, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"I'm...fine. Thank you for helping me."

"You're welcome. Have a nice rest of your day."

With that said, he started to walk in the opposite direction. Abby closed the distance between herself and Shae, wondering just what the hell happened. "Are you okay?" She asked with genuine concern in her voice. Once again, the same flashes appeared inside her head. Only this time, it was making her head spin and throb with pain.

Shae desperately tried to latch onto a single image, just to hold onto some sort of reality to keep her from falling into oblivion. Abby's voice was growing more distant with each passing second and soon it was gone altogether.

Abby watched as Shae's eyes rolled into the back of her head before collapsing backward, out of her reach. As it would seem, out of nowhere, the same man from before appeared to catch her before hitting the concrete stairs head-first. "You really are a terrible guardian." He stated starring a hole right through Abby.

"How the hell was I supposed to know that she was going collapse out of nowhere?"

"You knew enough. Pick up her things and lets get out of here. I can only stop time for a few minutes."

Abby hadn't realized that everything had stopped around her. Everything was frozen, not a single thing moved. Blinking a few times, she gathering Shae's things before running to catch up. "Damnit Finn, wait up!" She yelled.

Her demand was not heeded. He simply ignored her and continued on towards the dormitory where Shae shared a room with Abby. The room smelled of the girl in his arms. It was such a distinctive scent that had him confused as to what exactly she was. He gently eased her down onto her bed and returned his angry stare back at Abby, who was sitting on the edge of her own bed.

"You were supposed to keep an eye on her to make sure this didn't happen." Finn said sternly, through a clenched jaw.

"I was keeping an eye on her. I have been her entire life. Why are you even here in the first place?" Abby countered crossing her arms over her chest.

Finn raised an eyebrow at her, looking away from the sleeping Shae he crossed the room to stand before Abby. A thick red aura cloaked him, while his once blue eyes were now tinted red. She knew that he was angry with her without seeing the change within him. "They are coming, Abby. We can't falter now. We can't let the princess fall into their hands."

"I don't need reminding, I was there that day."

He could see the solemn expression wrap around her features. His hostility lessened and the aura receded. Finn knew the history. He may have not been there that day; but he knew enough to know that Abby had given everything to make sure Shae had survived. He supposed that warranted a little bit more respect from him.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks goes to Kimi2917, LunarFairyPrincess1989, Pseudoname101, TattyNatty86, goonbot86 and .ambrose2018 for becoming followers to this. Chapter two has arrived, hope you all enjoy. R&R.**

**Chapter 2:**

**Through The Darkness**

_The sound of a baby's cry, alerted Shae to whatever it was she was seeing. The flames felt almost real, hot even. She tried to understand what exactly she was witnessing. The land was foreign and so were the people. They all were beautiful and angelic, flawless even in the chaos. It reminded her of things she had read about as a child, when her adoptive family wasn't yelling at her for stupid things._

_ The woman holding the baby felt oddly familiar. She had long dark brown hair, much like her own and the same luminescent blue eyes. It felt like she was watching a movie, her voice was mute and was invisible to the characters. Though it really didn't feel like they were characters of some movie or dream._

"_Abigail!" The woman shouted._

_It was then, that she realized that it was a fantasy dream. A woman that looked identical to her best friend, Abby, stepped forward. Her ears were pointed and there was such grace in her steps. It made her chest clench just to watch the baby being passed off and then disappear through a portal of some kind._

"_My Queen, we must hurry." Another voice interrupted the painful sobs of the woman who felt to familiar to Shae._

_Snarling phantom beasts closed in even more so. It wasn't until an even louder howl was heard did the phantom dogs stop progressing any further. The Queen looked around for the owner of the loud noise; but saw nothing. The ground shook beneath them. Low growls got closer and The Queen took a step back, as if she knew exactly what would approach them from the trees._

_Shae pleaded for them to run; but try as she might her voice was mute and all she could do was watch the scene unfold. The trees parted and snapped as the larger beast came into view. Three separate heads sat large on the body of oversized dog. She knew exactly what creature that was. Cerberus, the guardian of The Underworld._

"_Heel, my precious." A voice announced, as if out of thin air._

_Shae watched the face of The Queen quickly change to that of disgust. A man appeared before the three-headed beast. He had long dark hair pulled back low and he wore trousers of black, dark red shirt with a black vest. His eyes were a grayish-blue mixed with a tint of gold. There was no doubt in her mind that he was appealing to the eye; but there was a darkness surrounding him that made her skin crawl._

"_What is it you want?" The Queen asked boldly._

"_I think you already know the answer to that. Although, you were smart enough to send your daughter away. It matters not, I will find her eventually."_

_There was humor in his voice, as if it was all a game to him. She wondered who exactly he was. Just as she thought maybe she'd get the answer, her body had other plans. A heavy suction tugged at her. The vision disappeared and nothing but a black void lay before her now. The air was thick, making it hard to breathe. It was almost claustrophobic._

"_Please! Anyone! Help me!" She shouted._

Abby stared at Finn from across the room. It had been several hours since Shae's collapse. She wondered if it had anything to do with her birthday the next day. Was it really because she was turning nineteen? "What now?" She asked, breaking the awkward silence between them.

"I honestly don't know. Who knows if she will remember anything when she wakes up. I think it's best when she wakes up to only see you. I will only bargain for more questions than necessary." Finn answered.

As he turned to walk away, Shae bolted upright, sweat dripping down her face. He nonchalantly rolled his eyes, knowing that he couldn't just walk away now. She gasped for breathes of air as Abby rested both hand on her shoulders, easing her to a steady breathing. "Easy now." Abby soothed.

"What happened? How long was I out for?" Shae asked shifting her eyes to settle on Finn, who stood by the door.

"You've been out for three hours." He stated obviously annoyed that he hadn't made it out in time.

Abby turned her head to stare at him menacingly. Shae quickly moved to swing her legs over the edge of her bed. She pushed herself upright, as she did so, another wave of dizziness overwhelmed her. Her arm went out to touch the wall beside her, stopping herself from falling. "You probably shouldn't be getting up yet." Abby suggested, easing her back down onto the bed.

"I don't understand what's happening? I was perfectly fine this morning and then after that letter came I've been a mess. You look exactly like someone I saw in my dream and why is the guy I ran into in our room?"

Finn moved from the door to sit down on a wooden chair that was placed under a matching table. He knew this was going to be a long explanation and even if they explained it, there was no guarantee that she would even believe anything they said. "The letter had nothing to do with it." He said crossing his right leg over his left, sitting properly as if he was royalty.

"What the hell does that mean?" Shae snapped, pushing herself to sit upright once more.

"What did you see in your dream?" Abby asked, changing the subject.

Shae's expression softened when her eyes moved to look at her best friend. Abby looked at her attentively, waiting patiently for an answer to her question because it actually might answer her own question. "It's hard to explain. I was in another world, though it felt familiar somehow. Every person I saw was not human and had angelic, flawless features. A woman held a crying baby as she ran further into a deep forest."

Silence befell them all for a moment. Abby knew right away what it was Shae had seen. It was the moment she had taken her to the human world in search of safety from The Underworld's prince. Finn raised a questioning eyebrow at her, wondering if this girl had really seen that moment everything changed for the mythical world.

"The mother called for a woman named Abigail, she looked exactly like you, minus the pointed ear and angelic features. She took the baby through a portal. God, this sounds crazy even talking about this."

Abby closed her eyes. In a matter of moments, her appearance slightly changed. The most noticeable things was her ears. They were now pointed, just like in her dream. Her eyes were still the same but had a golden hue to them now.

She wondered how any of what she was seeing was possible. The things she had read about as a child were staring right back at her or at least one of the things anyway. Words evaporated from her tongue, leaving her speechless. "It was easier to show you, than simply telling you."

"How...how is this real? I have to be still sleeping. This is freaking insane!" Shae said pinching her own cheek.

"You are not sleeping and I'm very real. Just as you are."

Abby moved to kneel before Shae, holding her hand into her own. Her angelic features were more vibrant now than ever before. Finn knew that time was running out. He needed to get Shae back to their world before there would be chaos in this realm in the form of undead and hellhounds alike.

Shae pulled her hand away swiftly. Fear coated her eyes along with confusion. Finn uncrossed his legs and stood up from the chair. She made eye contact with him for a brief second before lashing out. "If she is some kind of magical creature, then what the hell are you?" She asked harshly.

"Not for you to know in your current state of mind." He replied calmly. His voice was soft and it put a dampener on her rage.

"Shae, I know this is hard for you to believe; but your mother had a good reason to send you through that portal. I was tasked to keep you safe and now...the danger is very real and is coming for you." Abby explained.

Closing her eyes, Shae knew that part of what they were saying was true. The letter she had read earlier on was a clear warning that someone was after her; but believing that magical beings existed was a hard one to grasp. "You know how insane this sounds, right?"

"I know, trust me I wanted you to be eased into this; but it looks like we ran out of time. You're nineteenth birthday is in a few hours. The glamour in which you were cloaked with will disappear, leaving you vulnerable."

"Glamour? So I don't even look like this!"

Once again, Shae felt like her whole world was crumbling down around her. If her adoptive family wanting nothing more to do with her wasn't bad enough, now she found out that she isn't even from this world. None of it made any sense. She felt more alone than ever before.

"You look exactly how you do right now, with a few exceptions. You grew up exactly how you were supposed to."

"Say I believe you...what now? How do I stay protected?"

Finn started to walk towards her until they were only a few inches apart. He stood only a few inches taller than her, which wasn't saying much considering his own bloodline. "We take you home, back to Ehearon, where you belong." He said cautiously eyeing Abby.

The name made Shae stop moving instantly. The sound of the name rolling off his tongue tightened her chest, a foreign anxiety that had never been there before. If she admitted to herself, she knew that she felt like she never belonged in this world. As Abby and the foreign guy explained to her, she really wasn't from here. So why was she so skeptical? Was it because of how she was raised? Or maybe it was because she was afraid to find out who she really was? Either way, it didn't look like either one of them were going to give up the idea that she wasn't from there.

"It is time. We must go." Finn encouraged.

"I don't even know your name." Shae countered, watching Abby smile from the other side of her.

"It's Finn. Finn Balor."

His name send a shiver up her spine or maybe it was the accent, she didn't really know. All she knew was that he was far too good looking for his own good and being in his presence made her uncomfortable, completely out of her comfort zone so-to-speak.

Abby took her hand once more, giving it a gently squeeze. She knew that what was about to transpire would forever change the young woman standing next to her. Everything she had ever known would be gone in a blink of an eye and a whole new world would be right before her. A new life; but not without concern. There was still the threat of the Underworld Prince and that would never go away until he was defeated.

Finn turned away from Shae, moving his hands all around in front of him. Words escaped his mouth in a language she didn't understand. The air around the quickly became thick and heavy. White-silver energy sparked a few feet before them and then split right down the middle, creating a rift in the fabric of reality. It was a portal, just like she had seen in her dream.

"Princess Shaelynn River Almasi, I was charged with bringing you back to the Kingdom of Insa by your mother Queen Olenna. Take my hand and I'll bring you home." Finn said holding his hand out to her.

"Wait! Princess?"

Abby smiled, pushing her to take Finn's hand. He took her hand, feeling the softness of her skin. The three of them stepped through the rift. The energy was like static electricity, pinchy against the skin; but it was short lived. On the other side, Shae could see a completely different world right before her eyes.

"What...the...hell…" She said breathlessly.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks goes to goonbot86 and calwitch for the reviews. Chapter 3 is here, hope you enjoy it. R&R.**

**Chapter 3:**

**Facing Destiny**

Shae was dumbfounded by what she was seeing at that moment. The wooded area they arrived in was littered with sunshine through the greenest leaves she had ever seen in her life. It was beautiful and all she could feel was a sense of completion. It was like she belonged there. She questioned the reality that maybe what they Abby was telling her was indeed the truth.

Her hand unconsciously fumbled with the hem of her shirt, flattening out the wrinkles that weren't really there at all. The sound of happy birds chirping and rushing water made her feel even more at ease. She turned a full 360, taking in all the details of her new surroundings. "Welcome home." Abby said cheerfully.

"We must continue on." Finn stated, taking steps towards the north side of where they all stood.

"Where are we going?" Shae asking, sprinting to catch up.

"We are going to where your mother is in hiding with what remains of your people. There is a lot of this world you don't know." He answered.

She immediately turned to look at Abby, looking for some kind of answer as to what he meant by that; but all she could see was concern. The world she was now in may be beautiful; but there was a danger she could feel underneath it all. It brought back the dream she had before her whole world was turned upside down.

The piercing cries of the baby in the night created a tightness in her stomach. Somehow she knew deep down who that baby had been. Tears started to burn the corners of her eyes as they continued to walk through the forest. Her chest tightened. A hand instinctively went up to rest between her breasts, gripping her fingers into a tight fist.

"So that baby I saw...in my dream...was that me?" Shae asked between gasps of breath.

Finn stopped walking and Abby was at Shae's side in a split second. He turned to see the fear on the young woman's face. The reality of what she had seen and what she was told was sinking in. Panic struck her at the worst possible time. He narrowed his brows, listening for the dangers that lay beyond. "I promise you will get the answers you want when we get to our destination; but right now we need to keep moving. The hellhounds are approaching." He stated pleadingly.

"Hellhounds?" Shae asked confused.

She had heard the name before; but only in myths she read over the years to keep her mind off the hardships she lived with. Her adoptive parents weren't exactly the nicest people and most of time she felt trapped within their walls of confinement.

Abby placed a gentle hand on her arm, giving her comfort. "Come on, we need to keep moving." She urged.

The urgency didn't matter anymore for the sound of rustling leaves and snapping branches alerted them to what lay beyond. Shae quickly snapped her head to the side, eyeing the threshold between several trees about fifteen feet away from where she stood frozen. Finn immediately pulled her behind him.

She eyed him suspiciously, not fully understanding the danger that was closing in on them. The blue sky quickly turned dark, covered with thick gray clouds. Shae could see several creatures walk through the thick brush. Dark phantom like dogs came into view, snarling with foaming white saliva dripping from their open mouths.

Abby turned around to see several more come from the other side. They were now surrounded by at least a dozen hellhounds. She knew that in her current state, her magic would be weak. It would take days for her magic to return to normal. Finn's dark red aura appeared as a threat to the underworld creatures that threatened to do harm to the princess. "What do you suggest, Finn?" Abby asked, taking several steps back until the three of them were pressed up against each other.

"We do what we must. The princess must be returned to the Queen." He replied, pulling a silver dagger from the inside of his coat pocket before discarding the garment altogether.

Shae could see him now in just a thin white t-shirt that clung to him, detailing every curve of muscle that composed of his flesh. Blinking several times, to rid herself from the inappropriate thoughts that instinctively came into her mind, she felt as though her body was being pulling in a different direction. "Shae…." A voice whispered.

Desperate to find the source, she frantically turned around to see even more hellhounds closing in slowly. For whatever reason, they never attacked. A subtle turquoise aura flickered around Shae's body as the glamour that had once been projected onto her was now fading. A scream erupted from her mouth as magic that been forced into dormancy was now released in all it glory.

Abby knew that it must have been time for the magic to wear off, which meant it was her princess's nineteenth birthday. She knelt down in front of Shae, who clenched her hands into tight fists in front of her.

"This couldn't have a come at a worse time." Finn stated, realizing their element of surprise was now shattered into pieces.

The hellhounds had seen first hand and would go back to the tell Roman, crown prince of the underworld, exactly what they had seen. Finn knew that he couldn't let that happen. He lunged forward, gripping the dagger's hilt tightly in his hand. He twisted his body around the first swipe of a clawed paw. Finn easily plunged the small weapon deep into the side of the head of the first hellhound then quickly retracted the blade and ran it across the throat of the second.

Gurgled yelps and screeching cries could be heard between Shae's own screams. Biting down on her bottom lip, she forced herself to stand back up. Abby could see that her eyes were glowing white before returned back to her normal blue.

"Shae…." Abby said softly.

Shae turned to see Finn's desperate attempt to keep her secret safe by killing every last hellhound that stood around the three of them. A sudden urge to help came to her, tightening a knot in her stomach. Instinctively, she held out her hand. The air around her palm was increasingly getting hotter with each passing second. Flames licking around her fingertips before forming a ball in her hand.

"Oh...my...god…" Abby said speechless.

Folding her other hand on the ball of flames, she spun in a full 360 degrees, spreading the flames outward. Each hellhound was engulfed in the heat, singeing each one alive. Finn turned to see Shae standing on wobbling legs. Her eyes rolled behind her eyes, falling to the ground behind her. "What the hell was that?" He asked, demanding an answer from Abby.

"She's the one…."

"What do you mean, the one?"

"She's the one from the prophecy, the one who will forever keep the underworld bound."

Finn had heard the prophecy many times as a child. His parents believed it so much that they aligned themselves to Queen Olenna, with the hopes that her child would be the one to liberate them once and for all. They believed it so much that they died in the war nineteen years ago, to save the infant princess from imminent death.

He looked down at the unconscious woman and realized the he would have to protect her in order for his people to see liberation. They were still a day's journey to where the Queen was in hiding; but they needed to find shelter for the night. He knelt down and scooped Shae into his arms, her head resting against his chest.

"We should probably find somewhere to sleep for the night." Abby suggested.

"Where should we go?" He asked, not really knowing exactly where they would be welcome.

There were no words exchanged, he simply followed her. She lead them deeper into the forest and into a deep cavern. Abby used what little magic she had to create a few balls of light to allow them to see. Finn laid Shae down on the dirt floor, placing his discarded coat under her head. "I'm going to get some water and berries to eat. Watch over her for me please." Abby said walking out of the cavern leaving Finn and Shae alone.

He rolled his eyes, not bothering to gripe out loud. His mind wandered back to earlier on. He should have known that the enemy would be everywhere the second they returned to Ehearon. Staring into one of the light balls, he didn't notice that Shae had stirred awake. She watched him silently, knowing that there was something off about him.

"My dearest parents, I almost let you down today. I was careless and damn near got the princess killed." He said aloud.

Shae listened, wanting nothing more than to argue with him that it wasn't his fault; but now wasn't the time. She could hear an underlining pain in his voice when he spoke. It got her thinking that maybe he wasn't this cold hearted dick that she first perceived him as. He shifted and turned to look at her, catching her dead in the eyes. "How long have you been awake?" He asked rubbing his palms against the fabric of his pants.

"Long enough to tell you that it's not your fault. How were you supposed to know that we would be ambushed almost immediately after coming here?"

"That shows how very little you know about this world."

She sat up, slightly still dizzy from all the events that happened. Pushing those thoughts back for a later time, she crawled in her hands and knees to get closer to him. "Then tell me about this world."

Finn looked down at the smaller girl sitting in front of him. There was a mix of fear and determination swirling in the endless sea of blue of her eyes. He reached out to tuck a stray chunk of her hair behind her ear. An ear that was now pointed thanks to the glamour wearing off. He chuckled low in his throat. "You are asking me about this world, instead of asking me about yourself..."

Immediately, she reached up to touch the same ear that he had tucked hair behind. They were no longer rounded like a humans. They are at a point, much like Abby's were. It made her realize that she hadn't come to terms with everything that happened yet. She was a princess of this foreign place and it made no sense to her. "I don't understand any of this…" She replied softly.

Shae felt the tightness in her chest return just as footsteps could be heard from the entrance of the cave. Abby walked into view carrying two pitchers made of magic full of water and a bowl of similar magic filled with a variety of berries. Her stomach rumbled uncontrollably. It only mady Abby laugh. "Go ahead and eat." She offered.

"Before I do...will one of you tell me exactly who I am? I'm obviously not human, so what the hell am I?"

"I was wondering when you were going go all frantic." Finn commented, almost amused by the display.

"Do you blame her? We took her from everything she's ever known and in the blink of an eye it's all gone." Abby replied, filled with much sympathy.

Finn looked at the girl in front of him. She was even more beautiful now than she had been when he first met her with the glamour still intact. It was hard to judge exactly what kind of power she now possessed; but if he had to guess it would be the power over the four major elements of life. "You are a Light Elf, daughter of King Ridick and Queen Olenna. You were born during a war that had been going on between The Underworld and Eheareon, thanks to a prophecy stating that a child would be born that would liberate the world from The Underworld and keep it forever bound." He started to explain.

"You were sent to the human realm with me as a means to protect you…"

Shae listened. Everything they said added up with the dream she had. There was no reason for her not to believe what they were telling her. She was a Light Elf and on some level that was pretty neat. A laugh escaped her mouth. She always knew that she was different and this only confirmed it. "You know...I always knew that I was different. I always felt like I didn't belong. Abby, you were the only one who ever gave a damn about me."

"Maybe in the human realm...here, there are so many who give a damn."

"Eat and rest, we will talk more in the morning. I'll take the first watch tonight." Finn said getting up from the rock he had been sitting on.

He walked out of sight and leaned against the entrance to the cave, looking up with a half moon high in the sky. Letting a soft sigh escape his lips, he mind swirled with erratic thoughts to raced back and forth from one time to another; but eventually settled on one with his parents.

"_Finn may we speak with you a moment." A woman's voice called from behind._

_He turned to see his mother standing the doorway of the gathering room. Her long silverish platnium hair was pulled back in long braid down her back. Soft olive green eyes connected with his blue ones at a distance. Alayna Balor was a woman of compassion and empathy. She was loving ruler and was known for her mercy. Finn loved her dearly for it._

_They walked into the room where a large wooden table sat in the center. His father always sat at the head, while his mother sat on the left side of him. His most trusted advisors were also sitting at the table, which meant this was a military meeting. "What's going on?" _

"_Take a seat, son." His father directed. Edward Balor was a man the both harsh and compassionate. He did what he needed to in order to protect his people and his family. His blue eyes mirrored his own and long brown hair was pulled back into a low ponytail to keep from invading his eyes. _

_Finn did as he was told, pulling the chair on the right side of him out. It was odd for him to be involved in meetings of this caliber, which made him worry. "I'm sure all of you have heard the prophecy by now. The mermaids have seen it. A child will be our liberator from The Underworld's reign on terror on Ehearon. I assume they know by now as well, which has been the reason for the increases attacks on all lands."_

"_So what do you suggest we do?" A man asked._

"_We align with King Ridick of Insa. The Queen is pregnant, due any day and they strongly believe the child she is carrying is the child from the prophecy. If it is, then we must do all we can to make sure he or she remains protected." _

"_There is no guarantee that the child is indeed the one." Stated another._

_Finn had heard the back and forth arguments all before for different things; but this one was crucial. He looked across the table at his mother, who remained silent until she stood up and whistled a screeching sound that made everyone stop speaking. "There is no harm in aligning with Insa, they are thriving and we are struggling. We are a near extinct race. I want what's best for my son and his future children. We will align with them."_

_The men at the table started to argue. Finn narrowed his brows and slammed his hands on the table, red aura surrounding his body. "My mother has spoken, no need to argue her." He said with a snarl._

_Finn knew that their race had been losing numbers over the years and perhaps aligning with Insa would get them back on their feet. If the Queen indeed was carrying to child of the prophecy, then it was in their best interest to keep the child safe until adulthood when he or she could liberate them all from The Underworld's terrany._

Little did Finn know that protecting the child would end his parent's lives on the battleground. He now ruled a race that was so little in number, ruling in their memory and trying desperately not to screw it up. They had been right to align themselves with Insa, because the child had indeed been the one. Shaelynn River Almasi was the future he looked forward to in the end. Her liberation was what his people needed and that's all that mattered to him.


End file.
